About a director
by bandgeek111
Summary: Through my years of middle school band and how I looked up to one band director so much...so much as a father figure...but will he ever realize it? Will he ever think of me as a daughter?
1. Prequel

Chapter 1-About a Director

Her unsure stance and nervous smile could be seen as she entered the band hall. It was the first day of sixth grade. She held a clarinet case in one hand and in the other was her schedule. As she glanced down at the paper, the director's name struck her as a bit amusing. She realized that it was the same man she had met previously, when she was interviewed on what instrument she would play. Her first impression was that of a nice man. As she sat down in a chair, he walked out of his office and went to the podium. His head turned to her and gave her a small smile. She grinned nervously back. He was of a medium build, somewhat short for a guy. His chestnut brown hair was wavy and thinning. He smelled strongly of cologne and coffee. But it was the eyes that got to her. He was still intimidating and yet, there was something about his eyes…maybe it was because she couldn't figure out what color they were, but they were nice…trusting, but intimidating eyes that would miss nothing. He had a squared jaw and pointed nose. One look and you could tell he was picky. His eyes swiftly glanced the room as more people came in, then the class started. He told them that he would try and answer any questions and if they didn't understand, to please ask him. Sooner than she would have wanted, the class ended. She walked to her next class in a daze; here was a man she thought she could finally trust.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 2

The days went on and so did her growing respect for this man. True, she didn't know him very well, but the first impression was a good one. And didn't they always say first impressions are the most important? She had already seen the quiet and friendly way in which he greeted her each day. Sometimes it was more jovial then others. Sometimes, it was noncommittal. Either way though, either him greeting her or vice-versa. A greeting was insured. And she enjoyed it. However, one day she got to see the way he dealt with discipline.

She had walked in the classroom as usual and was all set for another day in her beginning clarinet class. The first couple of weeks in school had passed by smoothly without any difficulties. The first half of class went my normally. However, all of a sudden there was an unnatural pause in his speech. She immediately sensed something was wrong. She looked at him and saw that his usual friendly eyes had narrowed slightly and his mouth was set in a firm line. She heard him speak,

"Ladies, please don't talk again." The girls looked at him, and stopped talking almost immediately. However, a couple of moments later, the same girls had talked again. He put down his chalk and said to the one girl he saw talking,

"Put your horn up. Now." Watching close up, her eyes widened as shock as she soaked in what he was saying. The talker blinked and stared a gape at the band director. He was furious. "Hurry up. You're wasting everyone else's time." The room was deadly silent as the girl stood up and put her horn up. He pointed to a wall over to where the talker should sit. She sat there for the remainder of the period. After that unsettling period of 5 minutes, he resumed as if nothing had happened. Every once in a while her eyes would go to the wall to where the girl was sitting. She felt sorry for the talker but only slightly. Whole-heartedly she had agreed to what he had done. Maybe a little harsh, but ever the same, it got the job done. The talker made no more trouble. And her respect for this man just grew and grew.

She went home that day and started on her homework. Then stopped. She put down her pencil and stretched. She eyed her clarinet case and grinned. She started practicing. Her mom came in two hours later to stop practicing. Her mom. Her smile faltered a little as she put her horn up and went to bed. The girl sighed as she turned off the light. For a strange reason, the girl started crying. She hugged her pillow as she tossed and turned. She lived in a single parent household with her mom. Her parents had divorced when she was one, and the man that was supposedly her father? She couldn't bare….to call him 'daddy'. All she knew was that he was a complete jerk. Her mom had to beg him to stay for her first birthday. Then all of a sudden, an image of her band director came into her mind. She saw him smile at her and told her it'll be alright. Almost immediately she stopped crying and breathed in deeply. She thought she could almost smell his coffee cologne smell. She imagined he was right next to her, tucking her in and telling her 'Good night'


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 (I screwed up with the chapters) Thanks to the following people for reviews!: emilyxS, goldnote, Britishmangachicklizzie, and The Island Josie.! (This is the chapter where I reveal his name, and mine. Please don't laugh, or else I will hurt you. ))

She was a quiet one. Those shy people who rarely raise their hands in class. The types who just prefer to be by themselves. Sixth grade was progressing fast and band was her life. She loved playing. She couldn't imagine anything else she would do with her time. She was determined to make it into Honors band when the sixth graders got placed into either of the two bands they had. Honors, naturally being the highest. And work she did. She took each day in stride and performed to the best of her ability. She thought she wasn't good at anything, but band made her feel different. It made her feel like she was on top of the world. She felt she was actually good. It made her feel good that she could play the clarinet, even if it was only beginning band. Each night, she would review the day's lesson, but go on ahead. And because she did this, she was soon one of the top beginning players. But that still wasn't enough for her. And the only person that was standing in her way was the OTHER top player; Caitlyn.

Other people admired her and thought she was the best. But she was everything that the quiet girl hated…no, loathed. She was a popular girl. With flowing blond hair and clothes that fit her way too tight, she only did band because…well, just because. The way she walked, was more of a strut. The way she carried herself was one of egotistical arrogance. And the quiet one? She was putting in everything she got to be better than her.

Sixth grade soon ended and it was time for the end-of-year concert. They had played quite well and the parents clapped and smiled with approval. She was wearing a collared blue dress shirt that tucked neatly into her black pants. She wore black loafers that matched with her black socks. Typical band attire. She smiled nervously once more as the whole band stood up to receive a clapping ovation. Then_ he_ motioned them to sit down. His small smile once again made her feel safe. He was dressed in a light green dress shirt and a reddish brown tie and brown jacket to go with it. He took the microphone once more and said,

"This is the hardest part of my job. Giving out awards." Her heart skipped a beat. She KNEW it would be her.

"Each section will have one person receiving an award." She waited impatiently as he went by all the brass instruments, then flute, then clarinet. "And for clarinet is…Caitlyn." Her heart fell as she managed to give a small smile and clap half-heartedly with the rest of the band. She felt as if tears were about to come to her eyes at any moment. All of a sudden a parent came up to her. "Would you make a speech for him?" She blinked and nodded without realizing what she was agreeing to. The parent handed her a bouquet of flowers as she got up and slowly walked over to the microphone. It was then the panic set in. A speech? In front of all these people? What was she going to say? But as she took the microphone, she looked at the director's eyes and took a deep breath.

"I just wanted to say thank you…Mr. Countryman has been the coolest director I've ever had. Well I mean, the only one I've ever had, but he's the best. And I'm glad that I have two more years left in band." There was applause and as she turned to look him in the eyes, she smiled slightly. He however, was grinning broadly. She hands him the flowers and he holds out his hand. She turns to shake it, and then gets ready to go back to her seat. However, before she can move, he says softly,

"Thank you Tiffany." She blushes and grins. Back home however, her mother asked her how she felt. She replied lightly and went to her room. She sighed as the sadness went away and frustration crept in. She was exhausted. She worked so hard, and now this? She punched her pillow. She stared angrily at the wall and went to bed. She had a sleepless night.


	4. Chapter 3

Ch 3

It was the day of the audition. She paced nervously back and forth of the band hall, waiting for her turn. Her mind raced furiously through all her scales and her etude. She kept on pacing. Back and forth….back and forth.

Suddenly, the person who went before her came out. It was her turn. She walked slowly into the practice room where the auditions were held. She was tense and rigid as she opened the doorknob. Inside, he was already there. She was tense and rigid and felt like she could pass out any moment. He was relaxed, laid back, tapping a pencil and smiling. The contrast was humongous. As he heard her come in, he smiled at her, and she gave a nervous smile back. However, as she saw his relaxed pose, she loosened up a little. She had been gripping her clarinet and hadn't realized it. She slowly unraveled her hand. He said,

"Are you ready?"

She nodded slightly. He spoke into a tape recorder. The audition began. Five minutes later, the audition was over and he said, "Good job." Before she went out the door. She sighed a gigantic sigh of relief as she plopped down into a chair, waiting for results. The minutes ticked on. She was getting anxious again. She closed her eyes and took deep breaths. No sooner had she done that however when there was a sudden,

"THE RESULTS ARE UP!!!" And a stampede to the foyer area. She jumped up at once and ran to where the mob was. After minutes of pushing and shoving, and getting pushed and shoved back, she could finally read the list. She thought,

"Should I read the Symphonic band list first? Or Honors?" She decided to read honors first. Her eyes zoomed to the clarinet section and went down the list.

_There. She saw it. Her name was under Honors Band. She smiled briefly and zoomed out the door. Wait till she told mom. _


	5. Chapter 4

Ch. 4

She couldn't believe it. She was beginning her 7th grade year. She had everything under control. She was in Honors Band under the direction of one of the best director in Texas. True, it was hard. It was challenging. But heck, this was just another mountain she would have to climb-and overcome.

She went to band class that day and sat down. She had made some upperclassmen friends and she grinned and chatted a bit until Mr. Countryman came on the podium. He was one, who didn't need to yell, "Be quiet!" When he went on top of that podium, it just went completely silent. He was just that good. He then began to talk about Region Band. Her interest was immediately captured. He told them how you got ranked and placed in bands. He said it was a great honor-however, that if somebody didn't' make it, it was fine. Why? Because Region Band was based on opinion. However, even before he got to that part, she had already gone into her deep thought. Here was a chance to prove her self. Here was the chance to prove to Mr. Countryman and all these talented 8th graders that she could be right up there with them.

After class, she picked up the Region music and immediately went home to practice. She was going to once again, give it her all. She'd show Mr. Countryman that she was good. That putting her into Honors Band wasn't a mistake. That night, she practiced for 3 hours. She walked out of her room and took a big breath. Her hand was numb, her thumb was in pain and severely calloused, her teeth lip and mouth hurt. But still, she was proud. She smiled slightly as she carefully put her horn up. She couldn't wait for tomorrow. For tomorrow, was sectionals. And…a chair test. Currently, she was sitting 8th out of 10th. Not too bad for a rookie clarinet player, but not good enough for her.


	6. Chapter 5

Ch.5

It was the day of the chair test. Her heart was pounding furiously in her chest as she fidgeted in her seat. Mr. Countryman, as always, looked calm and relaxed. They warmed up, and then started. He went down the row at a moderate pace. To her, it felt like an eternity before it got to her.

Soon however, she was up. He nodded to her and she played her warm up note. Her sound was shaky due to her nervousness. Here was her chance. To show she could be at the 8th graders level! She would go JUST as fast as them. Just then, he looked up, slightly smirked, and said, "Tiffany, just because those 8th graders went fast, doesn't mean you have to go fast too. Do the tempo you're comfortable with." She was inwardly shocked. However, she briefly smiled, and began.

After she finished, she didn't realize it, but her hand was shaking slightly. Mr. Countryman looked up, nodded, jotted some more notes down, and continued down the line. She realized just then, that he was going to be one of those people whom compliments were hard to get. She got more determined than ever. "I WILL get his praise. Whatever it takes." She said to herself.

The rest of sectionals went like a rollercoaster for her. They were playing 'Secret Agent Man'. However, she got lost in the music, and felt terrible. Mr. Countryman was even counting the part she had, and she got lost. She sighed and took a deep calming breath. One of the 8th graders nudged her in the ribs. "Hey, great job today." He said, and smiled. Tiffany looked up at him, and smiled back. "Thanks." Her mood lifted slightly after that.

At home, she got out her horn once again, and started practicing. There were two more months until the Region Band Auditions. And she WOULD be ready.


End file.
